Join Lisa, our support coordinator every Thursday at 8 PM EST for our fertility support sessions inside our private facebook group page. All are welcome. Email Lisa at lstack@cnyfertility.com if you need to be added to our support group.

Join The Fertility Expert, Dr. Kiltz, for our weekly Facebook Live every Sunday Night at 8 PM EST to have your questions answered as we discuss all things fertility. Find our facebook page by searching CNY Fertility in Facebook or clicking here.

The Issue at Hand

At CNY Fertility, we believe that everyone should have access to affordable fertility treatment without sacrificing quality. Currently, New York State only covers basic fertility treatments that exclude in vitro fertilization (IVF)—which is now a standard of care to treat infertility. Fertility preservation also remains outside the realm of insurance coverage, meaning cancer patients are on their own when it comes to saving and protecting eggs or sperm that can be destroyed during cancer treatment. It’s time for the laws to change with the times, and that means IVF treatment and fertility preservation should be covered under New York’s current insurance law.

Why it’s Relevant

We’re urging the New York State Legislature to pass the Fair Access to Fertility Treatment Act (FAFTA) which supports coverage for IVF, as well as Fertility Preservation. How is this relevant to the residents of New York State? According to Resolve, the National Infertility Association, 1 in 8 individuals—or more than 440,000 New Yorkers—struggle with infertility. In addition, 10,000 New Yorkers are diagnosed annually with cancer while in their reproductive years. The majority of these individuals are at risk for experiencing infertility as a side effect of their treatment. It’s devastating enough to get a cancer diagnosis. The possibility of experiencing infertility with no hope of insurance coverage for fertility treatment and protection only adds to what is already a scary diagnosis.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Both the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the World Health Organization (WHO) recognize infertility as a disease—meaning it should be treated as such, and covered by health insurance. The passage of the Fair Access to Fertility Treatment Act would allow individuals struggling with infertility to afford the best kind of treatment possible, including IVF, and provide cancer patients with fertility preservation options. The act also adds non-discrimination language, ensuring that all eligible individuals will be able to receive coverage. It should be noted that this act is an update to current New York law, which means the passage of this act would be at no new cost to the state. In other words—there are no excuses.

What You Can Do

We urge you to support the passage of the Fair Access to Fertility Treatment Act. Everyone should have access to the best health care possible, and that includes the best fertility treatment. No one should be denied the dream of growing their family simply because they can’t afford it. This is a human issue—one that can affect everyone—and it calls for widespread, non-partisan support. What can you do to be heard? Send a letter to your State Senator and Assembly Member. Volunteer to meet with your local lawmakers. Take to social media to spread the word on how important this issue is—and be sure to tag your lawmakers. Together we can make a difference!

As a woman it is our job to be able to reproduce and bring beautiful children into the world, it’s a way of life and as a woman struggling with fertility issues it becomes more then just that, physically and mentally it takes a toll on you. I truly believe this is a disease that should be covered without having to put yourself in debt trying to do your job as a woman and create a family to live life with and it shouldn’t be determined by money. Insurance should reconsider it as a disease that a woman was born with and constant struggle for women in there reproducing years to find a way to cover the expenses. Find a way to make it easier on the woman to do her job and reproduce properly.